The Forsaken
by Mitsos
Summary: AU. When Buffy stabs Angel to close Acathla and send him to hell, he ends up somewhere else...Los Angeles. The city is not the same as the Buffyverse. Please R/R
1. Prologue

A/N: I don't own any of the character except any I create to help the story move along. I've had this idea for a long time and this is my first story. (** denote thoughts)  
  
Summary: AU. Angel never ended up in hell when Buffy stabbed him to close Acathla. He's in a world where no vampires or demons exist but have been entering through some known gateway. It features characters from BTVS and ATS.  
  
The light was blinding but the journey, or what a more learned man might call, the dimensional leap, was virtually instantaneous. It was the dead of night as he fell several feet down to the ground between large structures that appeared as airplane hangars.  
  
If any mortal being had witnessed this man lying on the ground, with a long silver sword sticking out of his chest, yet still moving, the person would have no explanation except that it had to be some part of a movie, TV show, whatever. Considering the location, that would be a logical assumption.  
  
Angel slowly opened his eyes and observed his surroundings. His memory started to return. ** Why did you stab me and send me here? Especially when all I can remember is the night we made love. What did I do? **  
  
Suddenly, the weight of his soul was upon him and the memories, the evil that Angelus perpetrated returned. ** Oh my God! Jenny! Giles! The woman smoking in the alley. Buffy's classmates from school. All of them.I remember it all. **  
  
"Hey you! I'm sure you enjoyed being around a TV studio today but the set is closed! Now get up and get out!"  
  
"Leave me alone." Angel whispered quietly.  
  
** They don't pay me enough for this shit. ** The portly security guard removed his baton. "If you don't get up now, I'm going to use this lovely piece of wood and enjoy beating you to a pulp."  
  
Angel didn't have enough energy to even respond. ** Beat me up for all I care. You might as well kill me for all of the death, sadness and destruction I caused. **  
  
The guard swung his baton and connected with Angel's skull. Angel didn't even flinch. Next the guard kicked the sword and blood splattered from the wound. There was still no sound from Angel.  
  
** What's up with this guy? Why is he quiet? Screw it! Let's beat the moron up some more. That'll teach him. ** The guard lifted up his pants over his round belly so he wouldn't trip over his pants as he dealt out some more punishment. "Hey moron. Stay quiet for all I care. I'm going to enjoy this."  
  
For the next couple of minutes, the guard did everything he could to get a noise out of the trespasser. He continued to hit him in the head. He kicked him in the balls. Angel hoped, as he slipped into unconsciousness, that the guard would just ram the baton into his heart and end his miserable existence.  
  
Angel slowly opened his eyes trying to figure out where he was. He was in a small underground room with a low wattage bulb in the middle of the ceiling. Unfortunately, he was still alive. He truly wished that was different. "Who are you? I know someone else is here with me."  
  
"Good. I'm glad you're awake" The man spoke with a slight Irish accent. "You know, it was a royal pain in the ass to get you over here. The least you could do is appreciate all the hard work and effort I."  
  
"For the last time, who are you?"  
  
"The name's Doyle. It's nice to meet you Angel. Now before you start asking the usual questions about 'Where am I?' and 'Why am I here', let me fill you in on some facts." At this point, Doyle stepped into the light and sat at a chair near the bed and handed Angel a glass of blood.  
  
"Why should I believe anything you say?" Angel interrupted. "You're not exactly human, you know."  
  
"That's true but I'm more human than you'll ever be." Doyle retorted. "If I had anything to say about it, I would have left your ass there and let you become a pile of ashes."  
  
"However", as Doyle calmed himself down, "I can tell you've been through a trying time and I'm not patient enough."  
  
"Just tell me." Angel took a long gulp from the glass and sat up on the edge of the bed.  
  
"Actually, I can only tell you what I know. You're in Los Angeles. The year is 1998, only a few days since you left Sunnydale. The doorway into Acathla leads to hell dimension but the Powers that Be interrupted your journey and led you here."  
  
"You're not in the same world." Doyle continued. "This dimension has no Sunnydale and no Slayer. It not supposed to have vampires or demons either but they have somehow been steadily invading this world. The Power brought you here to help me bring balance back to this world and to one day rid all of the demons from it."  
  
"Am I supposed to work for you? I don't play well with others." Angel threatened.  
  
"Actually, the most annoying part about this is that I will be working for you. I've set up a detective agency, called Angel Investigations, which handle the cases that no human would ever take or solve. We have a secretary; her name is Sara. She already knows about our unusual situation."  
  
"If I decide to do this, if we close the doorway and get rid of the demons and if we survive, do I get to go back home?" ** Back to Buffy he thought.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
TBC - please review, no flames. 


	2. Chapter 1 Purpose

A/N1: Thanks for the positive reviews. Please keep them coming. It's the only way I will know if readers find the story at all interesting. Will it be B/A? Well, the story is drama and romance with a dash of angst. I'll give you a hint. Spike won't be in it until the end and I never bought the B/S or C/A relationships. If you believe Willow, Anya or Fred should be with Angel then you are reading the wrong story.  
  
A/N2:(** denotes thoughts; ~~~~ denotes flashback.)  
  
Detailed Summary: AU. Angel never ended up in hell when Buffy stabbed him to close Acathla. He's in a world where no vampires or demons exist but have been entering through gaps in between dimesions. It features characters from BTVS and ATS, same but different. To fix this world, Angel & this dimension's Buffy, must find a way to close the gaps and send the all of the tresspassers back to their original dimension. But, of course, someone doesn't want that.  
  
---------------------------  
  
As dawn approached, Angel slowly walked into headquarters. Through Doyle's underground connections, they were able to purchase the Hyperion Hotel at a significant discount. Since it was haunted, it had been on the market for some time. A Thesulac demon was feeding of the paranoia of a woman who had been trapped there for years. Doyle was able to procure an Orb of Ramjarin that made the demon apparent to them all. Angel destroyed the demon by attaching one of the demon's tentacles to an electrical box.  
  
Angel took a long glance around the massive lobby. His associates were nowhere to be found. None of them kept the hours he did, they were human of course. The peace and quiet forced him to reflect on all that had happened in the past two years.  
  
After Doyle rescued him, he spent his first whole year in this reality in a stupor. They accepted cases and solved them. He did just enough to help out, no more, no less. On a few occasions, especially against the Calu demon, he just gave up; hoping he would get killed and finally find some peace as the people he killed in the past year continued to torment him. Let's just say that the mission the Powers That Be (PTB) had in mind held no appeal to him. Finally, Doyle had enough.  
  
~~~~.  
  
"Angel, time to go. We have a new case."  
  
As he put on his trademark leather duster, "Who's the client?"  
  
"I had another vision and it involves an associate, sometimes a friend, of mine." Doyle grimaced. "He's in a very dangerous place and if he doesn't get help soon, he's not going to make it."  
  
"All right." ** Why did I even ask? It's not like I care. ** "Let's go."  
  
After a short drive along the crowded streets of Los Angeles, they arrived at an ancient abandoned post office off the beaten path. Even with a full moon, the building was in a perpetual shadow. There were no streetlights, cars or people in the vicinity. Angel's felt something old and powerful yet not dangerous.  
  
They slowly walked into the unlocked building and descended to the basement. Up a short staircase they went and entered a room with an ancient fountain. A cherub statue in the middle dribbled water into it. No one had been here for quite some time.  
  
"Go ahead." Doyle handed Angel an ancient Greek vase. "They're waiting for you." Without question, Angel approached the fountain holding the vase in front of him. Suddenly, the cherub's eyes opened and a blinding white light enveloped him.  
  
Once the blinding light receded, a vista of whiteness overwhelmed him. His clothes, shoes and jacket were all white. But the vase was unchanged. Two beings suddenly appeared in front of him: one male, one female. They wore a white toga with skin the color of a gold-bronze mix.  
  
The vase floated out of his hands and landed on a small table near the female. "A lovely gift. Thank you."  
  
"Third century B.C. I believe it is from Macedonia while Alexander the Great ruled."  
  
"You have lost your way." The male interjected. His black eyes focused on Angel. "You want to ask for something." The female followed. "Your soul cries out." The male finished the line of inquiry. "Speak."  
  
"I want to go back. There is nobody I know here. I know that I'm needed back home." He fell to his knees. "That Sunnydale needs me. That Buffy needs me. It is the only way that I can atone for all the wrongs I committed last year as Angelus."  
  
"The scales must remain balanced. You can not return home." The female paused and appraised Angel. "Assistance will be given."  
  
The room was fading. Angel shouted. "SOMEDAY! Will I return home someday!" He was then standing by the fountain. Before the cherub closed it's eyes, he saw the head nod imperceptibly. It gave him hope.  
  
"Doyle! Where are you?" As he left the room, he reached in his pocket to grab the car keys needed to drive home. They were missing but there was a note in Doyle's handwriting.  
  
"Angel, I had another vision from the PTB while you were immobilized. Sorry about leaving you stranded but I didn't know how long you were going to be. If I'm not at the hotel when you awaken, I'll be at the usual pub with a pint in my hand. Doyle."  
  
An hour later, he arrived back at the hotel. He would have arrived sooner but a couple of vampires were along his route trying to get a quick meal. His anger made quick work of them. **PTB!! For someone reportedly having tremendous power, they surely don't use it. ** "Doyle! Are you here?"  
  
"Hello salty goodness!" After recovering, a stunning brunette in high heels wearing a business suit remembered her line. "Excuse me. Angel Investigations!" Her smile brightened. "We help the helpless. Can I help you?"  
  
"CORDELIA?!"  
  
~~~~.  
  
He still couldn't believe how the arrival of Cordelia as their Administrative Assistant profoundly affected him. Back home, he rarely ever interacted with her. All she did was be jealous of Buffy and flaunt how popular and rich she was. Here, she became his friend and his confidant. She still had virtually no tact whatsoever but he found that endearing. She was a true friend and remained so after discovering that Angel wasn't exactly human.  
  
A week after Cordelia started working; Doyle had a vision about a former bookstore owner with a detailed library of exotic books about all kinds of weird creatures that shouldn't exist. Unfortunately, a Xanthos demon intended to plant his eggs in his victim's head. Angel and Doyle saved the day and convinced the bookstore owner to join their cause. His name: Wesley Wyndham Price.  
  
Angel headed up the stairs to his room for a well-deserved rest.  
  
The next afternoon, after Angel procured some pigs blood, he entered the lobby and witnessed a heated discussion between Wesley and Cordelia. He smiled to himself since it was so noticeable that they were attracted to one another. Since he didn't want to interfere in their mating dance, he entered his office without attracting any attention.  
  
He closed his eyes and tried to savor his mug of blood. Half an hour later, his intercom buzzed. "Could you join us in the conference room? We have a new client and you're expertise is needed?"  
  
"Sure Doyle. I'll be there in a sec."  
  
The walk to the conference room took him past the library where he was able to get a sketchpad. He found that if Doyle didn't have a vision, his drawing abilities were very useful. The conference room was a long rectangular room with no windows but had an artificial skylight. A glass conference table dominated the center of the room. Angel entered through the south entrance so he could meet the customers as soon as possible. The members of Angel Investigations were at the far end facing him while a man and two women were seated facing away. The man was dressed in an Italian designer suit with impeccably groomed hair. The two women, one redhead and the other with light brown hair with blond highlights, were dressed different from one another. The redhead was in a business suit (not designer) and the other was dressed in a designer sleeveless shirt with a short skirt. Her left arm was bandaged up to her elbow.  
  
"Angel. Thanks for coming. Let me introduce you to our new clients." While Doyle was speaking, the three of them rose from their seat and turned to face him.  
  
** Oh my God! ** He was completely shocked but managed to whisper. "Buffy?" 


	3. Chapter 2 Familiarity

"Mr. Angel, I presume?" He finished placing his glasses on and stuck out his hand. "I am Rupert Giles, head of the Ripper Talent Agency. This is my client, Ms. Beth Summers and her assistant, Ms. Willow Rosenberg. Have you received and signed our non-disclosure agreement?"  
  
Beth rose, ready to make her acquaintance with the owner of the agency. This Mr. Angel, she thought, was looking directly at her. He was dressed in a blood red dress shirt and black slacks. He was incredibly pale but incredibly handsome. While she checked his appearance, she nearly missed the gaze of his eyes on her. A look of recognition, followed by one of anger and then one she couldn't recognize, possibly resolve, flashed across his face before he turned to Mr. Giles to meet his extended hand.  
  
"Its just Angel. A pleasure to meet you." He shook hands with both Beth and Willow, with his hand lingering on Beth's for just a fraction of a second longer than normal, and motioned for all of them to sit back down. "Wesley, have you received and reviewed the agreement?"  
  
"Yes. I have taken the liberty of adding on a few attachments. Mr. Giles, I believe you and I along with your legal team should have everything squared away in a moment. We can move to another room to contact them. This will have no bearing on our agency handling the case." They both adjourned to another room.  
  
"Before you arrived, we were getting the basics of what happened. It appears Ms. Rosenberg arrived after the incident and can give us details on what the intruders were interested in finding. Cordelia and I will take Ms. Rosenberg to another conference room to get the full story and we'll connect them to the end of Beth's tale later."  
  
"Why am I stuck with you? How will Angel take notes? I mean, she did see the mon . intruder."  
  
"That's why he has the sketchpad, lass. Let's go."  
  
Cordelia left the room with Doyle and Willow but gave one backward glance to Angel. "Just for once, I want to be the assigner, not the assignee, especially when there are famous ." Doyle lightly pushed Cordelia out and shut the door behind them.  
  
For the next few moments, the main conference room was silent as both Beth and Angel sat facing one another. Angel was trying his best not to remain calm and, to the casual observer, he was succeeding. His soul was on fire and he felt like he could burst into flames at any moment. She looked exactly like Buffy except she was several years older, probably in her mid 20's, than when he last saw her. Even with her injuries, she was still incredibly beautiful. Her blond hair was shorter than what he remembered but his enhanced senses could smell that she, even in this dimension, still used the same shampoo.  
  
Finally, Beth could not stand the surreptitious glances and stares so she rose from her table and walked around the large conference room. "Nice office you have here. I'm no interior decorator but it doesn't make sense that your nicest conference room has no windows. Afraid of the outdoors?" She challenged.  
  
His silence unnerved and angered her. "Maybe you're one of those people who never leaves his home, or in this case his hotel. I read about it once some something-phobia. Or, because of this something" "Agora" he added. "Yes, agoraphobia, you watch television all the time and recognize me from my popular show. Or you think its me but can't recognize me because of the stupid black eye and stitches on my face." At this point she had finished circling the conference table and was standing directly over him. "I believe, based on the little we know about your agency, you're just plain wacky."  
  
** It looks like her, smells like her, yet it's off somehow. Maybe it's being on a television show that makes her appear conceited.** Angel focused back on the conversation and could tell Buffy, no Beth ** remember that ** was exasperated and waiting for him to say something. "When I find the thing that did this to you," he whispered in a low growl while rising from his chair, "no one will ever recognize it after I'm through with it."  
  
Beth took a step back, shocked by his sudden rise and the genuine sincerity of his words. ** Wow ** "You know, you are wacky and you don't talk much but, O.K., maybe you can help."  
  
"Tell me what happened."  
  
"Yesterday morning, I went to my trailer on my show's set to pick up the scripts for the first two episodes we're filming. Once I stepped into the office, I was attacked by three guys who must have been wearing masks. I managed to hurt one of them but the trailer was too cramped. Next thing I know, I'm in the hospital." She noticed his continued stare and, usually, would be tremendously offended by it. The way he did it instead made her feel safe, protected and cared for. She whispered. "Please stop looking at me that way."  
  
"Sorry." ** Remember, it's not your Buffy. Her name is Beth. Help her. ** He muttered. "You remind me of someone." Speaking louder, he added. "I'm just trying to focus so I can more easily draw what you witnessed. Describe the masks they wore."  
  
"They were red faced, with yellow eyes, a fat flat nose and, I don't know how they did it, a forked tongue." While Beth continued describing the creature, Angel started sketching. A couple of minutes later, he was finished. "Bu . Beth, take a look at this and see if you recognize . Wait, I made a mistake, forked tongue, right?" In his haste, Angel realized that he had drawn Buffy, his Buffy, instead. He put the drawing under his sketchpad and started over. A couple of frazzled minutes later he was finished. "Try this one."  
  
Beth grabbed the drawing. She studied it intently as if she was a teacher grading an art student on a final thesis. "If it didn't have these awful creatures on it, I would say it's beautiful." Beth smiled. "You have a wonderful talent." Angel didn't smile and dipped his head as the memory of the drawings he made, as Angelus, to torture Buffy flashed through his conscience. As quickly as the memory came, he dismissed it. "Do you know why they were there? Did they say anything?"  
  
Beth concentrated and tried to remember. "They were making noises but it was in some language that I didn't know.maybe it was European? I'm sorry. I really have been trying not to think about it." She felt a cool presence on her hands and noticed that he had both of his hand around her undamaged right hand.  
  
"Anything you can remember will be useful." He took one his hands and lifted her face up so he could look directly into her eyes. "I will use everything you tell me to make sure they never bother you again."  
  
Beth continued staring into his eyes. She could see the determination and resolve in his face and bathed in it. She suddenly snapped out of it and took a step back. ** I'm acting like a teenager. What is wrong with me? Is he hypnotizing me because I heard of people who have been and they've done stupid. ** Beth inwardly smiled realizing that her thoughts had run amok again.  
  
Angel had taken a step back as well confused by his reaction and the look she had while staring into his eyes. He had to stop. It wasn't her. Once again, he reminded himself that she needed her help. There was a knock on the door and everybody filed back in to the conference room.  
  
"Mr. Giles and I have finished with the agreement and all is in order. He will provide us any resources we require."  
  
"In return, of course, you will keep this out of the press as much as possible. Beth, if you need anything at any time or if they are not fulfilling their duty," Giles looked directly at Angel. "please call me and I will take care of it. I must return to the office." Wesley left with Giles to escort him out of the building.  
  
"Ms. Rosenberg.uh Willow" Willow gave Doyle a smile. "has been very helpful. It appears that the 'men' in question were searching for something but they didn't find it. She thinks they were speaking Greek and she heard them call out something that sounded like the word 'torture'."  
  
"Beth. You were a lucky lady. If they found what they were looking for or if Willow had not shown up with studio security, they would have killed her.  
  
"Yeah, then the headline in the Globe would be 'Famous actress has fight with trailer and dies; by aliens of course." Cordelia added.  
  
"Doyle. Take Willow with you and search the trailer for any clues. I will take Beth to her house. She might have what they're searching for at home." Wesley returned. "Cordelia, you and Wesley, research mode. Let's go."  
  
They all left the conference room. Cordelia carried the drawings and notes to the main office with Beth following her. Wesley went to get his mystical volumes. Doyle and Angel went to the vault to get weapons that might be needed.  
  
"Cordelia, one of the papers in your stack is mine. I'd like it back."  
  
"Sure, go ahead. I'm going to get some coffee." She placed the documents on the counter.  
  
Beth could not believe what she was doing. She didn't know why and if anyone asked her, she would not be able to come up with one valid reason why she needed to see Angel's first drawing. She found it quickly and it took her breath away. The drawing is beautiful, no scars, no black eye, just dead solid perfect. It's me but when I was younger. ** Have we met me before? No, but he remembers. I need to know. I . ** "Beth, you ready?"  
  
Beth did not hear him approach and was startled. Quickly, she folded up the piece of paper and stuck it down her shirt. "I'm ready. Let's go."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED  
  
A/N: Sorry for the delay but the initial version of this chapter was not working for me. Please continue to read and review. Feedback keeps me going. Thanks. 


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